Short Summary

China, accusing Indonesia of naked aggression against East Timor, called for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Indonesian troops from the territory on Tuesday (17 December).

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China, accusing Indonesia of naked aggression against East Timor, called for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Indonesian troops from the territory on Tuesday (17 December).

The Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations, Huang Ha, was speaking to the United Nations Security Council during the second day of its debate on Indonesia's role in the formerly Portuguese-administered territory. He also said that East Timor was already independent and its internal problems should be solved by its people.

The Security Council was called into session at the request of Portugal, following Indonesian military intervention in East Timor on 7 December.

Prior to this, large areas of the territory, including the capital, Dili, had been under the control of the left-wing Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (FRETILIN). Fretilin seized power and unilaterally proclaimed independence during a civil war with other liberation movements.

Representatives of two of these, Union of Democratic Timor (U.D.T.I.), and Klibur Oan Timor Aswain (K.O.T.A.) also addressed the Security Council on Tuesday and emphasised their desire for the unification of East Timor with Indonesia.

The sound track with the film includes part of the speech in English by the KOTA representative, Jose Martins. A transcript follows:
SYNOPSIS: The United Nations -- where on Tuesday the Security Council debated the situation in East Timor....
The Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations, Huang Ha, accused Indonesia of naked aggression against East Timor and called for immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Indonesian troops from the territory.

The Security Council was called into session at the request of Portugal, following Indonesian military intervention in East Timer earlier this month.

Portugal used to administer East Timor, but following decolonisation the territory has been ravaged by civil war between rival nationalist groups. One of these, the Union of Democratic Timor, sent their representative, Mario Carrascalao, to address the Security Council. He emphasised his group's desire for union with Indonesia, but said that all citizens of East Timor, including those involved with the left-wing organisation Fretilin, should vote on the future of the territory.

Another Timorese nationalist group, Kota, also expressed their wish for unification with Indonesia through their representative Jose Margins...